Thinking and behavior

We can never legislate what people think and their aspirations for their children are. We sure can legislate their behavior upon our soil.

A couple of books got the nation’s attention on the subject of Altzan decades ago. Altzan was a possible future country that occupied the lands between the USA and Mexico. Even author James Michener discussed it in his writings, his main point being human migration cannot be stopped by legislation. It is inevitable.

Now Altzan-like things are happening in today’s times. And as even James Michener postulated, no amount of legislation in Mexico or the USA can stop it. This is normal, and a good kind of problem to have, albeit a problem.

First the good news. The USA gets a lot of the best and brightest from Mexico and parts south. Many serve in our military to great distinction. The bad guys in Iraq know it, for example. Second, the bad news. We also get bad seeds and others who get so much media attention, but are not worthy of being a USA citizen. So there’s no free lunch in this inevitable process. That there are the usual pick-up artists exploiting this for money, power, ego, and greed is just part of the baggage, whom we must ruthlessly exterminate by extradition or citizens cutting off their funding. Let’em get a regular USA job. “Something for nothing” is not the American way.

Reinforcing behavior, as in legislating behavior, is also normal. Our land was developed and improved by hard work that we now benefit from. Nobody is going to take it away for free, or by political chicanery. Those who migrate here come for these reasons, and are more than willing to get in step as part of building and contributing, a useful idea since some Americans think they can exploit other parts of our country. So in this vein, the majority must just be itself, and legislate as need be, for behavior that is USA American. Most immigrants are already in step regards the English language, family values, religion, and willingness to work hard to improve themselves (please include our Asian immigrants, as an example). We also need to enforce to them all the normal stuff other American values like food and toy safety, health standards, paying for medical benefits (we do have rural hospitals to protect), and even respect for our law.

Today another course of action sticks out like a sore thumb. Idealism about humans migrating and bringing their society's standards has extended to naivety. Even sanctuary cities seem popular to the media promoting them. Eventually something for nothing will bankrupt many of these cities, and maybe California, and also many Californians as well as city citizens and businesses will move away to better protect their families and pocket books. There are other alternatives. Again there is no free lunch. Collectively we need to work together and contribute to our melting pot. Those who assume they can mine the benefits are in for a hard awakening as their local tax base declines. Most cities, and states, work to increase their tax base. Those politicians and the citizens who elected sanctuary types that erode tax bases may find little sympathy in the future from other citizens who charted a different path. Again there is no free lunch. And just look at the number of taxpayers compared to tax consumers. Then vote, or for a politician, assume a political position we can vote on.

For those immigrants and their sponsors who do not want to get in step, goodbye. For those immigrants who want to get in step, welcome. Now this is behavior we should legislate and morally can legislate about without blinking an eye, mostly at the local and state levels. The elections in 2008 are a good time to start, without remorse and with good judgment and self interest.